HomeNewsSudan: EU Commission warns against spreading the crisis to neighboring countries
The EU Commission expects the situation in Sudan to deteriorate. A US convoy evacuated several people from the crisis area on Saturday.
Khartoum: Smoke billows as heavy artillery fire continues despite the extension of a ceasefire between Sudan’s two top generals.Marwan Ali/dpa
The European Commission sees the risk of the unrest in Sudan spreading to neighboring countries. „The risk that the crisis will spread to surrounding countries in the region is real,“ EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic told Die Welt on Sunday. Other states that are „highly fragile“ border Sudan. “The consequences would be disastrous. No one can want that – that’s why the first priority must be to bring the two warring parties to their senses,“ he said.
Lenarcic expects the situation in Sudan to worsen, which was already dramatic before the current crisis and „now can only get worse“. „The country is on fire, lacking everything: clean water, food, medicines, fuel,“ said the commissioner.
Hundreds of humanitarian programs across the country have been suspended, warehouses looted and transportation that aid workers rely on destroyed. The two warring parties alone are responsible for this – but the civilian population of Sudan has to „pay for it“, said Lenarcic.
In Sudan, army units under the command of army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan have been fighting the RSF militia led by General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo since April 15. Since then, more than 520 people have been killed and more than 4,500 others injured.
Sudan: Fierce fighting again despite agreed ceasefire
Despite an agreed ceasefire, fierce fighting broke out again in Sudan on Saturday. Warplanes had flown over the capital Khartoum, a resident told the AFP news agency. Anti-aircraft missiles were fired in response to the airstrikes. Another eyewitness said fighting continued in the morning, including at the headquarters of the state broadcaster in Khartoum’s neighboring city of Omdurman. Smoke hung over Khartoum airport.
Sudan: German evacuation delayed by London?
A 72-hour ceasefire brokered by the United States came into force on Tuesday, which was extended by another 72 hours until midnight on Sunday shortly before it expired on Thursday. However, so far all ceasefires have been broken.
Conflicts in Sudan: Bundeswehr evacuates around 780 people
In Khartoum, many people continue to try to flee the fighting. There is no longer electricity or tap water, and the internet and telephone only work sporadically. Gasoline, cash and food are becoming scarce. Tens of thousands of refugees have already arrived in neighboring countries, mainly in Ethiopia and Egypt.
The evacuation of foreigners is now mainly via the sea. A convoy of vehicles organized by the United States reached the port city of Port Sudan on Saturday. As the US State Department announced, in addition to US citizens, local staff from Sudan and nationals of allied countries were on board. They were to be taken from Port Sudan across the Red Sea to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
Sudan: What interests do the great powers have?
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller did not say how many people were in the convoy. But he spoke of hundreds of evacuees – in addition to the US diplomats who had been flown out of Sudan a week ago.
Other countries, including Germany, France and Great Britain, had brought their citizens to safety by plane in the past few days. The Bundeswehr says it has flown around 780 people from over 40 nations out of Sudan since Sunday last week, including 230 Germans.